i have always used my brush pen or pencil for these kinds of things, but i was never satisfied with the way they turn out… so i would like some pointers as to what i should use! i want to be able to write them the complete way, with all the stops and stuff. please let me know, Thanks! -josh

Personally I really like to practice on my small “Buddha board” that I have at my desk at work. Its this thing you can write on with water and it evaporates in a few seconds. Gives you infinite practice without using a ton of paper and ink. You can get the small size ones on amazon for like $15 I think.

Quick edit to add a picture, you can see how fast the writing evaporates since I wrote some katakana out just now. The brush is very nice to use and has good flow:

It’s the same principle, but takes up a bit less space, and has a grid to help you with sizing. This doesn’t really answer your question if you’re looking for a pen to use for actually writing things though!

I’m a bit unclear regarding whether you are looking for brush writing tips specifically, or if you mean writing practice in general. I think people have given some great advice in this thread for saving paper. I’d like to add:

In general, it’s a good idea to write on 原稿用紙 with a somewhat fine mechanical pencil or pen. In most contexts it is not best to practice writing with a brush pen because their width and flexibility will make it difficult for you to learn proper character balance.

Regarding brush pen recommendations, I prefer using the Pentel GFKP or the Pentel FL2F. Both comfortable and easy to use.

Be careful, learning on a calligraphy brush is like learning to do road cycling time trials before you’ve learned to ride a regular bicycle. Most importantly, have fun!